Is Kapalbhati pranayama or cleansing? Most people think Kapalbhati is a fast breathing pranayama… But traditionally, it wasn’t part of pranayama at all — it belonged to the Shatkarma practices, the cleansing techniques. 🌿 “Kapal” means skull or forehead “Bhati” means shining So Kapalbhati was practiced to cleanse the respiratory system, awaken the mind, light up the brain, and prepare the body for deeper pranayama. The emphasis was always on active exhalation, not forceful inhaling or fast pump